(Article
was published in Journal of Business & Management, Volume 8, Number 1, June
2013, Department of Business Administration, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur.)
Performance of work in accordance
to one’s intrinsic nature, talents, capacities and potentials leads to self-fulfillment
and inner satisfaction. This fact has been emphasised by Krishna in
Bhagavad-Gita as swa-dharma and also by Abraham Maslow in his
self-actualization theory. Linkage between the two clarifies the concepts and
highlights their relevance for business organisations.
Introduction
In recent times there has been a conscious
effort to find application of spirituality in workplace. India has a rich
spiritual history and is the birth place of the earliest spiritual
philosophies. Hindu spiritual philosophy has a vast literature from where many
concepts and lessons can be drawn which have got immense relevance and
importance for management of business enterprises. One such concept is swa-dharma
about which Lord Krishna talks in one of the sacred book named “Bhagavad-Gita”.
Self-actualization is another concept given by psychologist Abraham Maslow.
This paper is about understanding swa-dharma in light of self-actualization
theory and its relevance to business organization.
Swa-Dharma
In
Bhagavad-Gita, when Arjuna refuses to fight, Krishna laid immense stress on performing
swa-dharma duties. Swa-dharma means work in accordance to one’s nature. (Aurobindo, 2010 p. 13 )
Krishna in Gita explained swa-dharma of
a priest, warrior, businessman and a serviceman;
I created mankind in four classes,
Different in their qualities and
actions
(Miller 1986, (4.13))
commoners and servants
are apportioned by qualities
born
of their intrinsic being.
(Miller 1986, (18.41))
Tranquillity,
control, penance,
purity, patience and
honesty,
knowledge, judgement,
and piety
are intrinsic to the
action of a priest.
(Miller 1986, (18.42))
Heroism, fiery
energy, resolve,
skill, refusal to
retreat in battle,
charity, and majesty
in conduct are
intrinsic to the
action of a warrior.
(Miller 1986, (18.43))
Farming, herding
cattle, and commerce
are intrinsic to the
action of a commoner;
action that is
essentially service
is intrinsic to the
servant.
(Miller 1986, (18.44))
Krishna further explained to Arjuna;
Look to your duty;
do not tremble before it;
nothing is better for a warrior
than a battle of
sacred duty.
(Miller 1986, (2.31))
The doors of heaven
open
for warriors who rejoice
to have a battle like
this
thrust on them by
chance.
(Miller 1986, (2.32))
If you fail to wage
this war
of sacred duty,
you will abandon your
own duty
and fame only to gain
evil.
(Miller 1986, (2.33))
Even a man of
knowledge behaves
in accord with his own nature;
creatures all confirm
to nature;
what can one do to restrain them?
(Miller 1986, (3.33))
(Maslow
1987, p.168) described self-actualization as the full use and exploitation of
talents, capacities, potentialities and the like.
“It refers
to people’s desire for self-fulfilment, namely the tendency for them to become
actualised in what they are potentially. This tendency might be phrased as the
desire to become more and more what one is, to become everything that one is
capable of becoming." (Maslow 1987, p.64)
On
self-actualizing individuals (Maslow 1987, p.168) noted; “Such people seem to
be fulfilling themselves and to be doing the best that they are capable of
doing. They are people who have developed or are developing to the full stature
of which they are capable.”
Krishna’s
emphasis on performing swa-dharma duties can be understood and realized in
light of self-actualization theory. Maslow explained self-actualization as a
need or desire to use and exploit one’s talent, capacities and potentialities.
On understanding Krishna’s discourse on swa-dharma in context of
self-actualization theory, it can be clearly realized that why Krishna was
emphasising Arjuna to perform his swa-dharma duties i.e. to fulfil his
self-actualizing drive.
When
the voice to actualize ones potentials is not heard, it leads to
dissatisfaction, uneasiness and frustration in life. (Maslow 1998 p.13-14)
noted; “What happens then to the one who denies this unique responsibility? Who
doesn’t listen to his call-note? Or who can’t hear at all anymore? Here we can
certainly talk about intrinsic guilt, or intrinsic unsuitability, like a dog
trying to walk on his hind legs, or a poet trying to be a good businessman, or
a businessman trying to be a poet. It just doesn’t fit; it doesn’t suit; it
doesn’t belong. One must respond to one’s fate or one’s destiny or pay a heavy
price. One must yield to it; one must surrender to it. One must permit one’s
self to be chosen”.
(Maslow 1999, p.194) further noted;
“Part of this core (of human nature) are certain preferences and yearnings that
may be considered to be intrinsic, biologically based values, even through weak
ones. All the basic needs fall into this category and so do all the inborn
capacities and talents of the individual. I do not say these are “oughts” and
“moral imperatives,” at least not in the old, external sense. I say only that
they are intrinsic to human nature and that furthermore their denial and
frustration make for psychopathology and therefore for evil, for though not
synonymous, pathology and evil certainly overlap.”
Your own duty done
imperfectly is
better than another
man’s done well.
It is better to die
in one’s own duty;
another man’s duty is perilous.
(Miller 1986, (3.35))
then
to do another man’s well;
doing
action intrinsic to his being,
a
man avoids guilt.
(Miller 1986, (18.47))
Krishna advised Arjuna
not to give up his swa-dharma (self-actualizing work) under any circumstances;
relinquish
action he is born to,
even
if it flawed;
all
undertakings are
marred
by a flaw,
as fire is obscured by smoke.”
(Miller 1986, (18.48))
(Maslow
1987, p. 64) noted; “Musicians must make music, artists must paint, poets must write, if
they are to be ultimately at peace with themselves. What humans can be they must be. They must be true to their own nature. This need we may
call Self-Actualization.”
Krishna also warns Arjuna
that his determination of not fighting is futile since by his nature he will be
compelled to do so;
Your resolve is futile
if a sense of individuality
makes you think, - “I shall not fight” –
nature will compel you to.
(Miller 1986, (18.59))
You are bound by your own action,
intrinsic to your being Arjuna;
even against
your will you must do
what delusion now makes you refuse.
(Miller 1986, (18.60))
Further
Krishna tells Arjuna that by following his swa-dharma a person can reach the
state of self-realization. He stated (Miller 1986);
Each one achieves success
By focusing on his own action.
(Miller 1986, (18.45))
Here word
success means self-realization.
Maslow(1999,
p. 173-174) also had a similar insight; “If the various extant religions may be
taken as expressions of human aspiration, i.e., what people would like to become if only they could, then
we can see here too a validation of the affirmation that all people yearn
toward self-actualization or tend toward it. This is so because our description
of the actual characteristics of self-actualizing people parallels at many
points the ideals urged by the religions, e.g., the transcendence of self, the
fusion of the true, the good and the beautiful, contribution to others, wisdom,
honesty, and naturalness, the transcendence of selfish and personal
motivations, the giving up of “lower” desires in favour of “higher” ones,
increased friendliness, and kindness, the easy differentiation between ends
(tranquillity, serenity, peace) and means (money, power, status), the decrease
of hostility, cruelty and destructiveness.”
Relevance to Business Organization
The
stress laid down by both Maslow and Krishna on self-actualizing work is due to
the fact that it leads one towards fulfilment, completeness, well being,
self-transcendence and self-realization.
(Maslow 1971, p.44) noted;
Self-actualization
means experiencing fully, vividly, selflessly, with full concentration and
total absorption. It means experiencing without the self-consciousness. At this
moment of experiencing, the person is wholly and fully human. This is
self-actualizing moment. This is the moment when the self is actualizing
itself.”
It is during these self-actualizing
moments that a person experiences a state which Maslow called peak experience. (Maslow
1987,p. 206) states; “For one thing, not only the world but also he himself
becomes more a unity, more integrated, and self-consistent. This is another way
of saying that he becomes more completely himself, idiosyncratic, unique. And
since he is so, he can be more easily expressive and spontaneous without
effort. All his powers then come together in their most efficient integration
and coordination, organized and coordinated much more perfectly than usual.
Everything then can be done with unusual ease and lack of effort. Inhibition,
doubt, control, self-criticism, diminish toward a zero point and he becomes the
spontaneous, coordinated, efficient organism, functioning like an animal
without conflict or split, without hesitation or doubt, in a great flow of power
that is so peculiarly effortless, that it may become like play, masterful,
virtuso-like. In such a moment, his powers are at their height and he may be
startled (afterwards) by his unsuspected skill, confidence, creativeness,
perceptiveness and virtuosity of performance. It is all so easy that it can be
enjoyed and laughed with. Things can be dared that would be impossible at other
times. To put it simply, he becomes more whole and unified, more unique and
idiosyncratic, more alive and spontaneous, more perfectly expressive and
uninhibited, more effortless and powerful, more daring and courageous (leaving
fears and doubts behind), more ego-transcending and self-forgetful.”
It
is this state of being that is of immense relevance to business organization. People
who are doing their natural intrinsic work are more productive and satisfied.
(Fleming
2007,p.43) noted; “Socrates expressed the same sentiments in Plato’s Republic
more than 24 centuries ago: We are not all alike; there are diversities of
natures among us which are adapted to different occupations...We must infer
that all things are produced more plentifully and easily and of a better
quality when one man does one thing which is natural to him and does it at the
right time, and leaves other things.”
Conclusion
In
Bhagavad-Gita, it appears that Krishna’s concern was not whether Arjuna will
fight or not. His concern was, with what attitude Arjuna will fight. Whether he
will fight in ignorance, with fear, hatred and anger or with knowledge, wisdom and
without anger. He laid great stress on performance of work in accordance to
one’s intrinsic nature i.e. swa-dharma and stated that it can lead one to the
state of self-realization. He also warns of ill-effects of not performing one’s
own swa-dharma. Abraham Maslow also stressed on similar aspects in his
self-actualization theory. Understanding of swa-dharma concept in light of
self-actualization theory confirms our faith in ancient spiritual wisdom and
makes us realize its relevance in present modern times. It is as relevant to
people working in business organizations as it was for Arjuna in the
battlefield of Kurushetra.
***
References
Aurobindo,
Sri (2010). Gita Ki Bhumika.
Pondicherry: Shri Aurobindo Ashram.
Fleming
H. John & Jim Asplund (2007). Human
Sigma. New York: Gallup Press
Maslow, A. (1999). Toward a psychology of being 3d
ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Maslow, A. (1987). Motivation and personality.
India: Dorling Kindersley Publishing Inc.
Maslow, A. (1971). The farther reaches of human nature . New York: Viking Press.
Maslow, A. (1994). Religion, values and peak experiences. New York: Viking Press.
Maslow, A. (1998). Maslow on Management. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Miller, Barbara Stoler (1986). The Bhagavad-Gita. New York: Bantam Books.
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